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If you’re one of the folk who won’t be escaping out of the city during the festive period, on top of various rail strikes, engineering work means getting public transport might not be smooth sailing. Londoners could face widespread rail disruption over Christmas as Network Rail will carry out 300 engineering projects in busy London stations. Around 95 percent of the rail network should be open as usual, but the infrastructure company recommends that travellers to ‘plan their journeys in advance’.
Which London services are affected by the rail disruption?
From December 17 to December 23, on the Underground the Bakerloo line from Harrow Harrow & Wealdstone to Queen’s Park will be closed. On the Overground, there won’t be trains between Watford Junction and Euston. Temporary bus routes will replace the closed lines.
Liverpool Street Station will be closed between Christmas Day and January 2, with no trains running in and out of it. Greater Anglia, Stansted Express and Cambridge trains will be affected.
From Euston, between December 24 and 30, services to Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street, Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham International, Blackpool North, Scotland and Glasgow Central will run on a reduced timetable.
There will be no Southern or Gatwick Express trains to or from London Victoria from December 25 to January 2.
Cannon Street station will be closed on Christmas Eve with services starting or terminating at London Bridge.
Lewisham station will also be closed on December 24 and there will be no trains between New Cross, St Johns and Dartford via Bexleyheath.
There will be a reduced service for commuter services from London Waterloo between December 27 and New Year’s Day because of bridge strengthening work in Battersea.
What dates will the engineering work happen?
Although dates vary, the majority of the work will take place between December 24 and January 2.
Will the tube and Overground be running?
On November 25, there’s a major tube strike expected to bring much of the network to a halt.
There will be Bakerloo line and Overground closures between December 17 and December 23 (see above). The majority of the tube and Overground should be running as normal although it’s not been confirmed whether the Liverpool Street closure will also affect the Underground.
What about buses?
Engineering work isn’t set to affect London bus services, but there will be widespread bus strikes in London throughout December. A thousand bus drivers in south and west London will walk out for ten days on November 22, 25 and 26 and December 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 and 17.
Our advice?
Maybe go for a nice winter walk, hit your local pub or stay in with the telly.
Your guide to public transport in London over Christmas and New Year